This invention relates generally to grooming equipment for animals such as pets and more particularly to a nail clipper that confirms the location of the nail's quick to prevent cutting it during nail trimming. This invention also senses the internal structure of the nail prior to clipping and allows accurate positioning of the blade just outside of the quick of the nail for a bleed-free nail clipping.
Animal nails, such as those cats, dogs, other mammals, and birds, contain a blood supply, called the quick, and nerves that can bleed excessively and induce severe sensations of pain if they are accidentally cut during nail trimming. As later shown, FIGS. 1-6 illustrate the anatomy of an animal nail, showing the quick, its relationship to the remainder of the nail, and effective cutting of both.
Various types of nail clippers exist that provide precise hand-controlled trimming of the nails and other instruments provide nail filing, either by hand or power means. Experienced, successful users of nail clippers keep a styptic pencil nearby to stop nail bleeding if it occurs. However, the typical pet owner has tried trimming her pet's nails one time too many and caused pain, bleeding and trauma by cutting through the quick. Most animals, pets, dislike having their nails clipped. Inadvertent cutting into the quick of the nail can injure the animal causing both pain and bleeding, more than likely in pets with dark colored nails. Once this happens, pet owners have grave difficulty in attempting nail grooming again. Generally, most pet owners avoid cutting their pets' nails by deferring that task to a grooming service or their veterinarian. However, those services can be expensive and require transporting the pet to and from the service location.